These pages were written for intelligent laymen by a specialist, during a busy, assiduous practice. I take such radical ground, however, going to the very root of the matter, that the general practitioner will do well to give my thesis his careful consideration; he should at least glance at the following Introduction for the gist of my claim. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE MAN, COMPOSED ALMOST WHOLLY OF WATER, IS CONSTIPATED. WHY? 1 CHAPTER II. THE PHYSICS OF DIGESTION AND EGESTION 12 CHAPTER III. THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF ANUS, RECTUM, SIGMOID FLEXURE AND COLON 24 CHAPTER IV. INDIGESTION, INTESTINAL GAS AND OTHER MATTERS 29 CHAPTER V. KEY TO AUTO-INFECTION 36 CHAPTER VI. HOW AUTO-INFECTION AFFECTS THE GASTRIC DIGESTION, AND VICE VERSA 46 CHAPTER VII. HOW AUTO-INFECTION AFFECTS INTESTINAL DIGESTION, AND VICE VERSA 56 CHAPTER VIII. THE CAUSE OF CONSTIPATION AND HOW WE IGNORANTLY TREAT IT 64 CHAPTER IX. CURES FOR CONSTIPATION: "FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE" 71 CHAPTER X. BILIOUSNESS AND BILIOUS ATTACKS 78 CHAPTER XI. KING LIVER AND BILE-BOUNCERS 83 CHAPTER XII. SEMI-CONSTIPATION AND ITS DANGERS 89 CHAPTER XIII. THE ETIOLOGY OF THE MOST COMMON FORM OF DIARRHEA, i.e., EXCESSIVE INTESTINAL PERISTALSIS 98 CHAPTER XIV. BALLOONING OF THE RECTUM 107 CHAPTER XV. BALLOONING OF THE RECTUM--_continued_ 117 CHAPTER XVI. THE USUAL DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF BOWEL TROUBLES WRONG 126 CHAPTER XVII. COSTIVENESS 132 CHAPTER XVIII. INFLAMMATION 137 CHAPTER XIX. PROCTITIS AND PILES 148 CHAPTER XX. PRURITUS OR ITCHING OF THE ANUS 156 CHAPTER XXI. ABSCESS AND FISTULA 164 CHAPTER XXII. THE ORIGIN AND USE OF THE ENEMA 173 CHAPTER XXIII. HOW OFTEN SHOULD AN ENEMA BE TAKEN? 180 CHAPTER XXIV. MAN'S BEST FRIEND 190 CHAPTER XXV. PHYSIOLOGICAL IRRIGATION 191 CHAPTER XXVI. PROPER TREATMENT FOR DISEASES OF ANUS AND RECTUM ESSENTIAL 202 CHAPTER XXVII. THE BODY'S BOOK-KEEPING 215 CHAPTER XXVIII. SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF FOOD 220 CHAPTER XXIX. DIET FOR INDIGESTION 227 CHAPTER XXX.